Judiciary Workers’ Extended Strike Unacceptable — Catholic Lawyers

…urge FG to accede to JUSUN’s demand

The National Association of Catholic Lawyers, NACL, on Monday,
faulted the extended strike by the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria
over demands for financial autonomy.

JUSUN had on April 6 embarked on industrial action, shutting
down courts across the nation to press home their demand.

But, some lawyers have raised concerns over the effect of the
strike on police stations across the nation with lots of detainees
awaiting bail and other forms of judicial remedies.

In a statement co-signed by NACL’s President and its
Secretary-General, Chukwuma Ezeala and Angela Odunukwe
respectively, the apex body of Catholic lawyers described the
prolonged strike as unacceptable, urging the Federal Government to
accede to the legitimate demands of JUSUN and allow for the
resumption of full operations of courts at all levels.

The statement reads, “We, members of the National Association of
Catholic Lawyers (NACL), during our executive meeting on the 14th
of May, 2021 deliberated, among other issues, on the State of the
Nation.

“As Catholics, and as lawyers, we are conscious of the right of
workers to associate freely, and do hereby restate our solidarity
with members of the Judiciary Staff Association of Nigeria (JUSUN)
currently on an industrial action to press for autonomy and
independence of the judicial branch of government at all
levels.

“We find it completely unacceptable that the activities of an
entire Branch of Government, in this case the branch that holds the
last hope of the Common Man, will be shut down for such an extended
period of time.

“Consequently, we call on the National Assembly, the Executive
branch of government and the Nigeria Governors Forum to immediately
accede to the legitimate demands of JUSUN and allow for the
resumption of full operations of courts at all levels.”

The lawyers also expressed concerns over Nigeria’s security
situation and level of poor governance across the nation.

“The frustrations within the system and an apparent laissez
faire and seeming unconcerned posture of the country’s leadership
has led to calls from some quarters for the President to resign or
be impeached. These calls arise from genuine concerns of
Nigerians.

“So, we call on the President and Commander-in-Chief of the
Armed Forces of the Federation, His Excellency President Muhammadu
Buhari to, as a matter of urgency, convene an International
Security Summit that will exhaustively deliberate on the current
security situation, enable us learn lessons from countries that
experienced similar situations in the past and have overcome same,”
the statement added.

…urge FG to accede to JUSUN’s demand

The National Association of Catholic Lawyers, NACL, on Monday,
faulted the extended strike by the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria
over demands for financial autonomy.

JUSUN had on April 6 embarked on industrial action, shutting
down courts across the nation to press home their demand.

But, some lawyers have raised concerns over the effect of the
strike on police stations across the nation with lots of detainees
awaiting bail and other forms of judicial remedies.

In a statement co-signed by NACL’s President and its
Secretary-General, Chukwuma Ezeala and Angela Odunukwe
respectively, the apex body of Catholic lawyers described the
prolonged strike as unacceptable, urging the Federal Government to
accede to the legitimate demands of JUSUN and allow for the
resumption of full operations of courts at all levels.

The statement reads, “We, members of the National Association of
Catholic Lawyers (NACL), during our executive meeting on the 14th
of May, 2021 deliberated, among other issues, on the State of the
Nation.

“As Catholics, and as lawyers, we are conscious of the right of
workers to associate freely, and do hereby restate our solidarity
with members of the Judiciary Staff Association of Nigeria (JUSUN)
currently on an industrial action to press for autonomy and
independence of the judicial branch of government at all
levels.

“We find it completely unacceptable that the activities of an
entire Branch of Government, in this case the branch that holds the
last hope of the Common Man, will be shut down for such an extended
period of time.

“Consequently, we call on the National Assembly, the Executive
branch of government and the Nigeria Governors Forum to immediately
accede to the legitimate demands of JUSUN and allow for the
resumption of full operations of courts at all levels.”

The lawyers also expressed concerns over Nigeria’s security
situation and level of poor governance across the nation.

“The frustrations within the system and an apparent laissez
faire and seeming unconcerned posture of the country’s leadership
has led to calls from some quarters for the President to resign or
be impeached. These calls arise from genuine concerns of
Nigerians.

“So, we call on the President and Commander-in-Chief of the
Armed Forces of the Federation, His Excellency President Muhammadu
Buhari to, as a matter of urgency, convene an International
Security Summit that will exhaustively deliberate on the current
security situation, enable us learn lessons from countries that
experienced similar situations in the past and have overcome same,”
the statement added.